THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday of Holy Week, April 3rd, 2015
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
Liturgical texts here
YOU are loved.
Whoever you are, you are loved.
On this day, God declares in one solemn act that you are loved.
Prostitutes, tax collectors and Pharisees: you are loved.
Thieves, centurions, and governors: you are loved.
Kings, queens, and dictators: you are loved.
Rich, poor, and alike: you are loved
Liars, murderers, and drunkards: you are loved.
Adulterers, abortionists, and frauds: you are loved.
Drug addicts, drunkards, and gluttons: you are loved…….
Whoever you are, you are loved.
Be gone doubts. Be gone fear. Be gone uncertainty. The One who created you has now died for you. There is no more wondering, no more guessing, no more speculating: the Divine Heart, pierced for your sins, gushes forth a single love song whose notes are water, whose words are blood:
You are loved.
The long night of banishment draws to an end; the Garden of Eden sends forth a new shoot; the ancient tears of sorrow begin to dry, for written upon the Tree of Life is the Word made flesh, a Word that says:
You are loved.
O shake yourself, soul! O wake yourself, quick! For the lie that you are forgotten, unwanted, and alone is shattered by the Shepherd who has gone to the ends of the earth—gone to the limits of love to find you and tell you:
You are loved.
Whoever you are, even lost in utter darkness, a light shines from nail pierced holes, a message from an open side, a poem from the punctures of thorns, and a ballad from caked blood, a torn beard, and bruised lips:
You are loved.
Follow this light, listen to this message, recite this poem, and sing this ballad until it becomes your own, until you believe without a doubt: I am loved.
Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the LORD. (Today’s Psalm)
It is called Good Friday, dear soul, because you are loved. And when you trust this Gift-from-the-Father, then the One who will emerge from the tomb will begin to heal the rest…
…he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed… (First reading)
I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)
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